Get Lucky with Deborah Coonts

Get Lost in a Story Readers, meet today's guest author, Deborah Coonts! 

About So Damn Lucky

Lucky O’Toole—Head of Customer Relations at The Babylon, premier mega-resort on the Vegas Strip—thinks it’s just another night in Las Vegas. But then a magician pulls a disappearing act, right under Lucky’s nose. Is it a stunt? Or something worse?

While Lucky chases leads, someone is trying to put her off the scent. As if this wasn’t enough to ruin her day, Lucky’s relationship with The Big Boss is coming to a head—past hurts can no longer be denied. Of course, she is already on shaky emotional ground: Teddie, her live-in, has been touring with a young and lovely pop star. Paxton Dane, former coworker and would-be suitor, is still circling, hoping to find a chink in the armor of Lucky’s resolve. And then, there’s this French chef, who is proving to be too hot to handle….

Las Vegas expert Deborah Coonts thrills again with this third installment in her dazzling series focused on casino “fixer” Lucky O’Toole.

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Just a few of SO DAMN LUCKY's positive reviews: 

"Lucky’s latest lark brims with the over-the-top ridiculousness that I love about Vegas. Fans of the series will fall in love all over again, and new readers will look forward to her next escapade."

--Publishers Weekly on So Damn Lucky

"Lucky's the kind of gal who will make any heart beat faster."

--Kirkus Reviews on So Damn Lucky

“Las Vegas is the perfect setting for this witty tale of misdirection and larger-than-life characters. Fans of J. A . Konrath’s Jack Daniels series will love this.” 

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DONNELL:  Welcome to Get Lost in a Story, Deborah.  One of the questions I often ask authors is if they could live anywhere on earth, where would it be.  You live in Las Vegas.  Is this one of your favorite places? 

DEBORAH: Vegas—I moved here sort of by inertia—and insanity—I let my then 15-year-old son pick where we were doing to live.  Lest you think something else…golf drew him here.  At the time he wanted to be Tiger Woods and Tiger was studying golf with Butch Harmon in Henderson, a suburb of Vegas.  Aren’t we glad my son didn’t grow up to be another Tiger Woods ;)  Curiously, Vegas has been very good to us.  My son found his bride and is blissfully happy.  I got the most wonderful daughter-in-law…and I found my Lucky stories.

I see the magic here and that’s what I write about.  Folks offloading real life for a few days and having fun.  Rediscovering joy…and perhaps, love ;) And then there is that whole getting into mischief/what-happens-in-Vegas thing….

DONNELL:  Writing mystery is hard, writing comedy is tougher.  You’ve called combining the two oxymoronic.  And yet you combine the two, on purpose?  Are you intrinsically funny, or do you have to work at it?

DEBORAH: I have always been fluent in sarcasm—one of my least appreciated skills when I was growing up in prim and proper Dallas.  Over the years, I added innuendo to my skill set—if you think about it, sex IS pretty funny;)  Of course, that could just be my experience….The Misadventures of a Former Good Catholic Girl…there’s a book in there somewhere. 

My humor derives from a twisted perspective and a borderline personality disorder.  But really, humor is nothing but the unexpected and, to be honest, my entire life has been…unexpected.  So, I cope by laughing, and hopefully making others giggle as well.

DONNELL:  You’re a flight instructor and a tax attorney. So…. do you fly commercial?

DEBORAH:  Southwest is my chariot.  These days, with all the promoting along with aging parents in Dallas…along with my not-so-latent gypsy tendencies….there is precious little time for flying for fun.  And, if time is of the essence, I let the pros whisk me away (take me for a ride;)).  I travel so much that the TSA guys know my name, when I cut my hair, when the books are coming out….and other secretsJ

DONNELL:  What’s in your refrigerator right now?

DEBORAH:  Champagne.

DONNELL:  Just gotta ask:  Do you watch the show VEGAS?

DEBORAH: Sometimes.  I’m terrible with the whole TV thing.  You see, I have an authority issues and I just can’t be bothered to watch shows when they come on—of course, I can’t remember their days and times either, so this is a problem.  Yes, I could DVR them, but then someone invariable tells we the entire story before I get around to watching the recorded shows.  And TV really cuts into my reading time, which is how I prefer to spend my precious few free seconds.

DONNELL:  Most unusual thing in your closet?

DEBORAH: My very first pair of really good shoes—Ferragamos that my grandmother bought for me when I was in high school, back before the earth was cool.  I’ve had those puppies rebuilt so many times the cobbler runs when he sees me coming.  But I just can’t part with them—they hold so much history.  And, each time I pull them out, I can picture my grandmother telling me, “When you buy clothes or shoes, buy the very best you can afford.  They will last a lifetime and never go out of style.”  She’s been gone a long time.  I would love to know what she would’ve told me about men.  I’m not doing to well on my own…..

DONNELL:  What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?  What’s the worst?

DEBORAH:  Beside the shoe thing above….it’s really something so simple and ubiquitous:  Live life with courage, never quit, and always wear clean underwear.

DONNELL:  Favorite comfort food.

DEBORAH:  I have never met a potato I didn’t like.  Grits are a close second….with lotsa cheese.

DONNELL:  What are you working on right now?

DEBORAH:  A two-part series of Lucky digital novellas called LUCKY NOW AND THEN.  It’s a dual-timeline story where a murder occurred thirty years ago, the body is found in the rubble of an imploded hotel, Lucky’s father is implicated, and she has to solve the crime in the present.  They’ve presented interesting challenges, which I’m enjoying.  Then there is the fifth Lucky book, LUCKY BITES, set in the gourmet food world.  And a medical thriller idea…and a women’s fiction series set in Napa and Sonoma…..and the whole shameless self-promotion thing….  I’m like the ghost whisperer of ideas…they assault me everywhere.  Could someone please petition the Universe for a few more hours in each day?  I’m a bit pressed for time….

DONNELL:  If you could meet anyone, past or present, who would it be and why?

DEBORAH:  I’m sorry I never got to meet Christopher Hitchens.  While I didn’t agree with everything he said, I thought he was brilliant and insightful.  He stirred the pot and made us think.  I love that.

Deborah, now it’s your turn.  Time to ask readers a question. 

READERS ARE YOU:  Plot or character-driven?

  February 28^th is the release date of the mass market edition of the third Lucy book, SO DAMN LUCKY.  I’d be delighted to give away a set of all three books in mass market. 

Links and contact information.

www.deborahcoonts.com

FB: Deborah Buell  Coonts

 Next book out will be the hardcover edition of the fourth book, LUCKY BASTARD, on May 14^th.

Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only unless specifically mentioned in the post. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Winners of drawings are responsible for checking this site in a timely manner. If prizes are not claimed in a timely manner, the author may not have a prize available. Get Lost In A Story cannot be responsible for an author's failure to mail the listed prize. GLIAS does not automatically pass email addresses to guest authors unless the commenter publicly posts their email address.

 

DON'T FORGET to FOLLOW us on Twitter #GetLostStories or LIKE us on Facebook to keep up with all our guest authors and their prizes. Join Maureen tomorrow when she hots Kari Lee Townsend and Angi on Sunday when she hosts Lena Diaz who'll be kicking off Intrigue Week. ~ Donnell